Climate Change

Vegetation covers a considerable portion of the earth and has an effect on weather and climate. Vegetation influences both albedo of the earth and the amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the air.

The "greenhouse effect" is the effect of atmospheric gases like carbon dioxide absorbing energy from the sun and earth and "trapping" it near the Earth's surface, warming the Earth to a temperature range that is hospitable for life.

Greenhouse gases are gases that absorb energy emitted from the earth and radiate it back into the atmosphere. If there are too many greenhouse gases, the earth could become too warm. If greenhouse gases dramatically decrease, the earth may be too cool for human activities, such as farming, planting, and harvesting, to occur.

Ozone isnâ€™t a typical greenhouse gas. It has two distinct functions in the atmosphere. High in the stratosphere, it absorbs ultraviolet light from the sun and protects the earth. Near the ground, it serves as a pollutant and contributor to smog and also has greenhouse characteristics.

Nitrous oxide is the third most influential greenhouse gas. It stays in the atmosphere for an estimated 115 years, so the 40% contribution from human activities adds up quickly. The human contribution comes from sources like fertilizer and livestock and human and animal wastes.

Carbon dioxide is an abundant greenhouse gas that is believed to be the main cause of global warming. The concentration is increasing fairly rapidly. Carbon dioxide is a natural biproduct of animal and plant respiration but is also caused by human activities like fossil fuel burning, deforestation, and biomass burning.

Water Vapor is always in the atmosphere, and it absorbs heat from the sun. Some amount of water vapor is necessary in the atmosphere. Without it, it would never rain and we wouldnâ€™t be able to go outside without dehydrating very quickly. The amount of water vapor in the air has impacts on humidity, cloud formation, and precipitation.

"Global warming" describes an average temperature increase of the Earth over time. "Climate change" describes how weather patterns will be affected around the globe. These changes could be manifested in changes in climate averages as well as changes in extremes of temperatures and precipitation. It is likely that the changes will vary depending on what region you are in. "Global change" describes other effects that donâ€™t fall into either category, like socioeconomic and ecological impacts.

Atmospheric models are used for every day weather events and short-term forecasting while climate models are used for longer term forecasts. Climate forecasts are generally divided into statistical forecasts, which cover seasonal to annual forecasts, and global climate models, which use equations to simulate the climate across the entire globe over a long time period.

The climate of the earth fluctuates, and there are many things that affect it. Volcanoes, changes in the orbit and the sun, greenhouse gases and the properties of the earth itself have influence over the climate.

These cycles are caused by changes in the earthâ€™s orbit around the sun, like its shape or eccentricity, its precession or wobble, and the tilt of its axis or obliquity. Each of these have a different effect on how much of the sunâ€™s energy reaches the earth and when the strongest sunlight occurs.

The sun has a magnetic field that flips approximately every 11 years. Sunspots and solar flares are caused by the magnetic activity of the sun. The sunspots and solar flares can affect the earth by changing the amount of incoming sunlight and interacting with the earth's magnetic field. The disruption of our electromagnetic field interferes with our all of our electronics, radios and satellites and can cause the aurora borealis in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Southeast is experiencing climate change. Generally, temperatures are expected to become warmer with more extreme heat waves. Changes in rainfall are less certain. Sea level rise coupled with increased hurricane intensity could be detrimental to Southeastern coastlines.